Provins 1910

Auguste-Louis Lepère made this etching, Provins, sometime in his career. Look at the open plaza, and the buildings all around, hatched with fine lines. It's like he's building up the scene, one tiny mark at a time. It reminds me that art is just a process of putting things together, a bit like life, I suppose. Lepère really knew how to use line to create a sense of light and shadow. The way he's built up the tones in the foreground, especially around the figures, makes you feel like you're standing right there, in that square. And then there's that big, looming building on the right, it's roof a mass of tiny, dark strokes. The whole building is a study in contrasting textures. It's not about perfection or flawless depiction, it's about the feel of a place. Think of someone like Whistler. They both had this knack for capturing the atmosphere of a scene with just a few well-placed lines. Art's an ongoing conversation, right?